Conventional amino acid-containing granule preparations, particularly some of branched chain amino acid-containing granule preparations, have problems in that granules are large, cause a sensation of foreign body in the mouth to degrade ease of ingestion, or a large volume thereof per ingestion dose is felt bulky in the mouth and difficult to swallow, and the like.
The correlation between volume and ease of taking medication is said to be particular strong. When the particle size of granules is reduced to decrease the sensation of foreign body during ingestion, the volume increases and granules become bulky in the mouth during ingestion, making swallowing difficult. A volume reduction technique for branched chain amino acid by a stirring granulation method has been developed and patented (patent document 1); however, further improvement in the ease of taking medication has been desired.
Consolidation during granulation in an attempt to decrease the volume promotes granulation, which partly enlarges the granules. As a result, the feeling on the tongue may be degraded, the sensation of foreign body may increase during ingestion, and disintegration of granules may decrease, which in turn may lower absorbability. In addition, uncomfortableness during taking medication may cause low medication compliance.
Therefore, the development of an amino acid-containing granule preparation has been desired, which is small in volume and disintegrates rapidly without a feeling on the tongue and a sensation of foreign body.
patent document 1: Patent Publication No. 3368898